Improvement in traveling printing apparatus



K. GRAY. Traveling Printing Apparatus.

Patented Feb. 26,1878.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENNEDY GRAY, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TRAVELING PRINTING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,711, dated February26, 1878; application filed December 18, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KENNEDY GRAY, of Chicago,in the county of (look and State of Illinois, have invented a new andImproved Traveling Printing Apparatus, which invention is fullydescribed in the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanyingv drawing, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinalvertical section of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view thereof.Fig. 3 is a crosssection of one of the types used in my apparatus. Fig.4 is a horizontal section thereof.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to certain improvements in travelingprinting-presses, in which are combined the following instrumentalities,viz: supporting truck-wheels, parallel side sills mounted on the axle ofthe wheels, and forming pulling-handles, journaled inkingrollers, and atype-wheel journaled in the extreme ends of the side sills, as will bemore fully hereinafter set forth; further, in the combination, with theaforesaid type-wheel, of circumferential bands, serving to confine thetypes of such wheel, clamping-bars, to which the opposite ends of saidbands are fastened, and adjusting-screws which pass through said bars,and serve to move the same toward or away from each other, so as totighten or loosen the bands; also, in the combination, with thetype-wheel and its circumferential bands, of types constructed ofvulcanized india-rubber, and having metallic strengthening-plates, whichare embedded in the india-rubber, so as to stiffen the types, as will behereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawing, the letter A designates an axle. B B are .the wheels,and G O are two sills composing the truck or carriage of my apparatus,the sills being secured to said axle, and one of the ends thereof beingmade in form of a handle, as shown. D is the typewheel, which is locatedbetween the sills O 0, near one end thereof, and the shaftE of which hasits bearings in said sills.

F F are two rollers mounted on the sills G O, and which form the inkingdevice of my apparatus, the inner roller F being arranged in superficialcontact with the type-wheel D orits types, while the outer roller Fsupplies ink to said inner roller, so that the ink is continuouslyapplied to the type-wheel. Said outer wheel F takes the ink from a boxor reservoir, (not shown,) and this box may be subjected to the actionof a spring; or, in lieu thereof, either or both the rollers F F may bemounted in elastic or yielding bearings.

When it is desired to print with my apparatus the desired types areplaced in the wheel D, and the whole is propelled over the surface to beprinted on, such as a sidewalk, the cover of a box, ora fence, by takinghold of the sills O G, the wheel D being at the same time allowed torest on such surface. Said wheel D is thus caused to revolve, and hencean impression is thereby made on the surface over which it moves.

The letter G designates a spring-catch, having the form of aspring-impelled lever, which is pivoted to one of the sills O, and oneend of which is bent, as at h. This bent end h of said catch passesthrough the sill O, to which it is pivoted, and at a point oppositethereto, in the side of the type-wheel D, is formed a hole for thereception thereof. When the catch G is allowed to follow the action ofits spring it has a tendency to catch in said hole in the type-wheel D,and thus arrests this wheel. Said catch G is brought into play onceduring each revolution of the type-wheel D, and hence the operator isthereby enabled to determine the starting-point of the wheel, or, inother words, the point where the matter represented by its typescommences.

The letter I designates the types of the typewheel D, having a flatform, and J J are bands by which such types are held in position, thesebands being arranged on the circumference of the wheel, and the edges ofthe types being inserted beneath the bands, as shown. The opposite endsof the bands J J are riveted or otherwise fastened to clamping bars K K,which extend lengthwise of the type-wheel D and are located in a recessformed in the circumference thereof.

L L are adjusting-screws passing through and serving to connect theclamping-bars K K, these screws being situated near the oppo site endsof the bars. By a suitable adjust ment of the screws L L theclamping-bars K K can be drawn together or moved away from each other,which has the effect of tightening or loosening the straps J J, so thatthe types I can be placed in position or removed with great facility. 1construct the types I of vulcanized india-rubber, and combine with eachof them a metallic plate, N, so as to impart thereto a certain degree ofstiffness, and obviate the liability of its being drawn out from underthe bands J J by adhesion with the surface over which the type-wheeltravels, or from any other cause. Said metallic plate N is embedded inthe india-rubber composing the types Iprevious to its vulcanization, andin order to hold said metallic plate in position it is provided withholes m, (see Fig. 4,) which become filled up by the india-rubber, andthus prevent the plate from shifting.

The types I, with their strengthening-plates, are also adapted to becombined with blocks of wood or other material, and used in other waysthan by the wheel D.

In the example shown the sills O G are placed between the wheels B B;but in some cases the sills and said wheels are transposed. Said wheelsB B, moreover, may be spiked to prevent slipping thereof on the surfaceover which they travel.

With either or both the sills C C may be combined a brace or bufl'eradapted to lift the type-wheel D from the ground, and thus sustain theweight of said wheel when my apparatus is not in use.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A traveling printing-press in which are combined the followinginstrumentalities, viz the supporting truck-wheels B, the axle A, theparallel sills O G, mounted on the axle, and forming pushing and pullinghandles, the journaled inking-rollers, and the typewheel journaled inthe extreme ends of the side sills, substantially as shown anddescribed.

2. In a traveling printing apparatus, the combination of a type-wheel,circumferential bands serving to confine the types of said wheel,clamping-bars to which the opposite ends of said bands are fastened, andadj ustingscrews passing through said bars, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a traveling printing apparatus, of a type-wheel,types constructed of vulcanized india-rubber, and having metallicstrengthening-plates, which are embedded in the india-rubber, andcircumferential bands serving to confine said types, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing 1 have hereunto set my hand andseal this 15th day of November, 1877.

KENNEDY GRAY. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

R. W. SUMMERVILLE, ALBERT W. LOCKE.

